New Albany’s Newsome delivers on his potential

Amanda Price predicted Boston Newsome was on the verge of a banner season.
She told him so.
“We had just lost to Cleveland in the playoffs last year; it was a hard loss,” Newsome said. “Miss Amanda pulled me aside and said, ‘Don’t hang your head. You’re going to be one of the top running backs in Mississippi next year.’
“It motivated me. I left everything on the field this year.”
Amanda Price, who was murdered Dec. 5, 2011, in a home invasion, would have been proud of the season Newsome produced on the field. He rushed for 2,038 yards – second best in the state – and scored 24 touchdowns for the Bulldogs, who are coached by Ron Price, Amanda’s husband.
Newsome, along with his teammates, dedicated their 2012 season to Miss Amanda.
“I made sure we didn’t forget about her,” he said. “I knew she didn’t forget about us.
“It hurt my heart when she died. I lost a best friend. It made me want to reach back and give it everything I had.”
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound tailback, who exits high school with 3,693 yards rushing and 32 TDs, will play his final prep game Saturday in Gulfport for the North all-stars in the annual Bernard Blackwell Classic.
The kickoff is scheduled for noon at Milner Stadium. The game will be televised by WTVA.
He hopes a good showing in the game will draw some more interest from senior and community colleges.
“I know people look down on me because of my size,” he said. “That just makes me work harder. I’m a competitor.”
Ron Price thought so much of Newsome’s ability that he gave him the ball 365 times in 13 games.
“He gives you unbelievable effort and has a great attitude,” Price said. “He never missed a beat. That’s a credit to him and his work ethic. He knew how much we were depending on him.
“He laid it on the line every Friday night.”
gene.phelps@journalinc.com